Prince Harry met with his father on Wednesday for their first face-to-face meeting in more than 18 months, sparking hopes for a long-term reconciliation between King Charles and his estranged youngest son.
The Duke of Sussex was seen arriving at Clarence House, his father’s official London residence at 5:20 p.m. BST, when his blacked-out Range Rover entered through the security gates.
It is understood that the meeting was “brief but significant,” and that Harry had cleared his diary “for the entire day” in the hope that his father, who is in London for a number of official engagements, would be able to find a window of time for them to see each other.
While the palace would not comment officially on the meeting, Buckingham Palace confirmed to Vanity Fair that King Charles and Prince Harry had a private tea at Clarence House. It is understood to have lasted just under an hour.
King Charles was in the capital for a busy day of official duties, including a private audience with the Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas. The monarch, who returns to London for weekly cancer treatment, also awarded an MBE to Manfred Goldberg for services to Holocaust remembrance and education and conducted a Privy Council at St James’ Palace. It is understood that the King’s aides liaised directly with Prince Harry and made time in Charles’ diary so that their face-to-face meeting could take place.
The prince was due to attend a reception for the Invictus Games Wednesday evening, which means his meeting with Charles lasted less than an hour.
“The meeting was brief because of the King’s busy diary and Harry having an Invictus engagement in his diary, but it’s very significant that it has happened,” says Charlotte Griffiths, editor at large at The Mail on Sunday. She also revealed that a meeting between Harry and his father was in the cards after their respective communication aides were photographed meeting in London this summer.
“Harry had a meeting in London this morning and then made sure he kept his schedule completely clear so that he could see his father at a moment’s notice,’ according to Griffiths. “It was a last-minute diary plan – it wasn’t in Harry’s diary – but perhaps that’s because he was nervous about leaks. He was prepared to drop everything to see his father and he let that be known to the palace.”
Before their meeting, Harry had spent the afternoon in White City touring Imperial College London’s Centre for Blast Injury Studies. While there he stopped to pose for selfies with a small group of fans who had gathered outside wanting to meet him.
The Duke told them, “I have to go…I’m so late,” when he rushed off at 3 p.m.
Meanwhile, King Charles was seen arriving at Clarence House at around 4 p.m., having arrived at RAF Northolt an hour earlier from Balmoral.
Sources close to King Charles say he is keen for a reconciliation with Harry, and that while he agreed to see his son, any long-term reconciliation is up to the Duke.
“The King has always left the door open for Harry to come back to Britain, Charles genuinely misses him and it pains him that there is a rift, but the ball is in Harry’s court,” says a source who knows the King. “If details of their meeting are leaked, then it will be a short-lived reconciliation. The issue of trust is very important to the King, and has been breached in the past.
Harry has to prove he can keep the conversations between them private if he wants to really have a relationship with his father.”
While Harry will be in London briefly tomorrow before returning home to California, King Charles will return to Balmoral Wednesday night.
It is understood that Harry has had no contact with his brother Prince William, who was appearing at engagements in Cardiff on Wednesday.
More Great Stories From Vanity Fair
-
Exclusive: Emma Heming Willis and Bruce Willis at Home
-
Can an All-Star Team of Broadway Vets Finally Crack Chess?
-
Emmys 2025: See Our Predictions for Every Winner
-
Jeremy O. Harris Is the Greatest Showman
-
Why Reality Winner Sounded the Alarm
-
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Real Estate Portfolio: A Guide
-
The 25 Best Movies on Netflix to Watch This September
-
From the Archive: The Armani Mystique
The post King Charles and Prince Harry Met Face to Face. Now “The Ball Is In Harry’s Court,” Says Source appeared first on Vanity Fair.
